India, Feb. 27 -- Gig workers, how's life treating you, these days? Ten years ago, tearing down big companies and corporate jobs was the ultimate flex. Nine-to-fivers? They were just office drones, clocking in and out, sitting through meetings, laughing at the boss's lame jokes, forever fearing layoffs, never creating anything meaningful. Start-ups, freelancing and consulting were the escape hatch. You could work from a cottage in the hills or a shack on the beach, you called the shots, you built your own path. You didn't serve a master, you were the master.

Now, most consultants and freelancers are realising that even freedom comes with fine print. Sure, start-ups dress casual - but everyone notices what you wear, anyway. There's a ping...